SISTER LUCIA DECLARED VENERABLE BY POPE FRANCIS

In a momentous announcement, Pope Francis has granted his approval to decrees acknowledging the heroic virtues of five Servants of God, bringing them closer to sainthood. Among these venerable individuals is Sister Lucia de Jesus Rosa dos Santos, a Carmelite nun who played a pivotal role as one of the visionaries of Fatima. Additionally, the Pope has recognized the martyrdom of twenty brave individuals who lost their lives during the Spanish Civil War due to their unwavering faith.

Sister Lucia de Jesus Rosa dos Santos, who, together with her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto, bore witness to a series of apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Fatima, has been declared Venerable by the Catholic Church. This momentous decree, signifying Sister Lucia's heroic virtues, was promulgated by Pope Francis himself.

The captivating journey of Lucia and her cousins began in 1916 when they reported encounters with an Angel in Fatima, Portugal. The following year, starting on May 13th, the children claimed to experience multiple apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The series of visions culminated six months later in the renowned "Miracle of the Sun," witnessed by tens of thousands of people.

Following the untimely deaths of her beloved cousins, who succumbed to the Spanish flu a few years later, Sister Lucia became the sole guardian of the message entrusted to her by Our Lady. At the request of the Bishop of Leiria, José Alves Correia da Silvia, she transcribed this message into four documents between 1935 and 1941. In 1944, another significant document, known as the "third secret," was sent to Rome and revealed for the first time in 1960. St. John Paul II, renowned for his deep devotion to Our Lady of Fatima, authorized the publication of this secret in the Year 2000.

Devoting her entire life to the message she received in Fatima, Sister Lucia embarked on a remarkable spiritual journey. She initially joined the Dorothean Sisters in Vilar and later became a Carmelite in Coimbra. It was in Coimbra that she peacefully passed away on February 13, 2005. The decree distinguishing between Sister Lucia's life and the extraordinary apparitions recognizes the inherent challenge of balancing the exceptional events she witnessed with the ordinary routine of her monastic life within the Carmelite Order.

The apparitions in Fatima have received endorsement from various Popes throughout history, with May 13th observed by the Church as an optional memorial of Our Lady of Fatima. Pope Francis himself visited Fatima in 2017 on the 100th anniversary of the apparitions and canonized Francisco and Jacinta. With the recent decree, the cause for the canonization of Venerable Lucia continues to advance.

In addition to the recognition bestowed upon Sister Lucia, the decree issued by Pope Francis also acknowledges the martyrdom of twenty individuals who fell victim to religious persecution during the Spanish Civil War in 1936. These courageous individuals were targeted and killed due to their unwavering faith, marking them as martyrs.

Father Manuel González-Serna Rodríguez, a native of Seville born in 1880, assumed the role of parish priest in the neighboring town of Constantina in 1911. Tragically, his life was cut short during the tumultuous events of the Spanish Civil War. On the fateful night of July 19, 1936, Republican militiamen apprehended Father Manuel, and just four days later, he was mercilessly executed within the confines of his own sacristy.

This horrific incident was part of a broader wave of violence targeting Catholic priests in and around Seville during that scorching summer. Shockingly, many of these clergymen faced execution without even being granted a fair trial. Among the martyrs of this period were individuals such as Father Mariano Caballero Rubio, whose parish in Huelva was set ablaze prior to his arrest. Another victim was seminarian Enrique Palacios Monrabà, a mere 19 years old, who tragically lost his life alongside his father. The merciless persecution also claimed the lives of a lawyer, a pharmacist, members of the parish council, and even a bellboy from the Poor Clare nuns, who resided near the monastery with his widowed mother.

The magnitude of the persecution endured by Catholics during this time is truly staggering. While over two thousand martyrs have already been canonized as a result of these tragic events in Spain, efforts to pursue the causes of an additional two thousand martyrs remain ongoing, as their stories of sacrifice and faith continue to be explored and documented.

Aside from the somber narrative of persecution, there is also cause for celebration as four other Servants of God witnessed progress in their respective causes on that same day.

Sister Mary Lange, who hailed from Cuba, faced racial discrimination and sought refuge in the United States. In 1829, she established the Congregation of the Oblate Sisters of Providence in Baltimore, an order dedicated to providing education.

Antônio de Almeida Lustosa, a Salesian priest, served as the Archbishop of Fortaleza, Brazil until his passing in 1974. His elevation to the status of Venerable recognizes his unwavering belief that the initial act of evangelization involves restoring dignity to the most impoverished individuals and families. Furthermore, his notable accomplishments extended beyond his pastoral work, as he excelled as an essayist, scientist, and artist.

Antonio Pagani, a Venetian priest, made significant contributions as a Franciscan theologian during the Council of Trent. He also advocated for the involvement of Catholic laity and went on to establish both the Brothers of the Cross and the Society of the Dimissive Sisters in 1579.

Lastly, Sr. Anna Cantalupo, a Vincentian nun hailing from Catania, dedicated her life to caring for the sick and destitute, particularly war orphans. During World War II, she organized spiritual support for soldiers passing through the Sicilian city.

On this remarkable day, the stories of these five individuals intertwine—a mix of tragedy and triumph, persecution and service. Through their unwavering commitment to their faith and the selfless actions they undertook in the face of adversity, they leave a lasting impact on the world, inspiring future generations to emulate their extraordinary examples of courage, compassion, and dedication.